The shooting of the upcoming Malayalam movie Harivarasanam faced a temporary setback at Nilakkal when Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) officials halted the production, despite the team holding valid clearance from the forest department. The Kottarakkara-based film crew had planned a two-day shoot in the ecologically sensitive areas of Pamba and Nilakkal after securing all necessary permits.

Valid permissions in place
According to the film's production executive, Aromal, the team had paid a fee of ₹50,000 at the Ranni Division Forest Office (DFO) to secure permission for the shoot. The official permit was issued on Thursday night, granting them the right to film in the designated areas. However, when the production crew arrived at the location on Friday morning alongside popular actors Saiju Kurup, Sampath, and Yogi Babu, they were stopped by TDB officials who objected to the filming.

Resolution after police intervention
The unexpected halt led to a brief standoff at Nilakkal. To resolve the impasse, a meeting was quickly arranged between the Devaswom Board authorities and the film crew, facilitated by the Pamba police. Following detailed discussions and verification of the official permits, the Devaswom Board officials relented, allowing the crew to proceed with their scheduled shoot in the area.